Yay my first airplane model of a Ju87 B-2/R-2 STUKA. Any experience with these? LET ME KNOW!

Well, my mom experienced a couple of REAL ones from the ground.

Anyway, congratulations! Tamiya makes the very best kits, and your build will be a very satisfying one. Other than the ME-109E, the Stuka has always been my favorite German aircraft.

Look up some websites on the war years of 1939-41, because that was when the B-2 model saw the most use, and mostly in a 3-tone paint job.

Yes, I am kind of unsure of how to read the directions they are in japanese I think, so I wasnt quite sure of what colors I was supposed to paint the aircraft. I need some input on the camouflage too because I'm not too sure of how to do it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkers_Ju_87

Its a fair kit... its actually the 10-15 year old Italeri kit in a Tamiya box. Any review of the Italeri kit will work. Tamiya sells Italeri kits in Japan in Tamiya boxes. Most are not sold outside of Japan, but in recent years you start to see a few here and there. It is disappointing becuase you can get the kit in an Italeri box for usually 1/3 the price and its italeri quality not Tamiya for sure.

Aw I got ripped =(, at least it was 7 bucks

Do your best; it's a nice plane!

Yes it looks very nice, I will take my time, plus I want to enter it in the MoscitoCom convention deal in NJ.

Tamiya Models are usually of good quality.Here is a pic of my Airfix 1/48 Stuka http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee54/philo426/2008_0114Spock0624.jpg

That looks very nice. For some reason my plane didn't come with a swastika. I'm not sure why but all of the STUKAs I have seen have had them on the tail. It's not a huge deal without one but I would like authenticity to come along with my work. I was thinking that it was a later version of the plane, possibly after WWII but I'm not sure. I think a plain tail would look bad.

Anyway I purchased dark green Tamiya for aircraft and was wondering if I used regular paints if I would need to dull them down with a special solution or something. Let me know please :)

-SoleSky

Most Luftwaffe kits dont include Swastikas at all, as kits with them can't be sold in some European markets. They can be purchased as aftermarket items. Some companies provide them on the decal sheet but don't show them on the box art, or make them as multi part decals that you have to put together to actually make a Swastika.

$7 is a good price. The Italeri kit isn't "bad" although if Tamiya did their own Stuka it would be better, for sure.

The Ju.87 B was replaced by the D model, which was famous as a Tank Buster on the Eastern Front. But the Stuka was largely replaced as a front line bomber towards the end of the war by the Focke Wulf 190 F and G. There aren't any post War versions, and even today there are only a couple pieced together Stukas on display. There is a D I think in the RAF Museum and a B in the Chicago Science Museum.

Most military paints (at least Tamiya's) are flat/matte/dull finish. But decals go on best over a gloss. I use clear gloss sprays to get a good surface for decals, then overspray with clear flat. Testors Gloss and Dull Coats work well.

Just to clarify the situation even further, FYI, swastikas are illegal in Germany and France, so if that Tamiya/Italieri kit of yours was originally intended for export to either of those countries, that is the reason it is missing.

Anywhere I can get one from? It feels so wrong without one.

like i said, there are aftermarket sheets. Check places like Squadron Mail Order in the US or Hannants out of the UK.

Alright thanks, I might do another cross thing. Dunno what they're called. I'm not too sure about the Swastika because I want to bring it into school and most people are jewish. I just wanted something on the tail

IMHO I would leave the tail blank rather than put something on that shouldn't be there. Some companies used to give you another small cross (like on the wing) to put on the tail. IIRC Revell's old 1960s Focke Wulf 190 did that.

Oh okay, thanks